THE “TRUMP” FACTOR.

THE “TRUMP” FACTOR.

Donald Trump, The Republican Party’s candidate for the American Presidency.

“They (Muslims) are not coming not this country if I’m president and if Obama has brought some to this country they are leaving, they’re going they’re gone” roared Donald Trump, the US Republican Presidential Candidate during a presidential debate in 2015. With the race for the US presidency reaching its peak Trump with his abrasive style has not only turned up the heat on his opponents but, slowly and steadily has also become a top contender for the post.

His background and career in business:

The journey of this businessman turned politician began on the 14th June 1946 in Queens, New York. His mother Mary Anne was a homemaker and philanthropist while, father Fred Trump a real estate developer. At the tender age of 13 he was enrolled in the New York Military Academy (NYMA). It was at this Academy that Trump experienced military training. Which probably also is the reason for his fearless and abrasive image. He then attended Fordham University in Bronx for two years.

He then studied at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and, in 1968 graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. And joined his family’s real estate business. In 1973 the Justice Department filed a suit alleging a racial bias towards minorities applying for his family built apartments. Two years later Trump eventually settled on an agreement which prohibited his company from racially discriminating tenants but without any admission of guilt. Apart from the real estate he also invested into show business. When in 2003 he decided to become an executive producer for reality show “The Apprentice” aired on NBC. He tasted immediate success. With the show apparently earning $50,000 per episode during its first year.

In 1988 Trump acquired the Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City New Jersey from Merv Griffin and Resorts International. This purchase led to increasing debt and by 1989 he was unable to pay up the loans. This mounting debt resulted in Trump going bankrupt. It was eventually during the late 1990’s that he finally emerged from the “dark clouds” of bankruptcy. Apart from business interest in real estates he has also invested in various beauty pageants such as Miss USA, sports such as American football, golf courses etc. As of today according to Forbes the net worth of his business is approximately 4.5 billion US dollars.

His tryst with the political world:

It was during the 1980’s that Trump first showed interest in politics and was a supporter of Republican Ronald Reagan for the US presidency. He also is known to have switched party loyalties over the years. So initially after being a Democrat till 1987, he switched to the Republican Party from 1987 to 1999, Reform Party from 1999 to 2001, reverting back to Democrat Party in 2001, becoming an independent from 2011 to 2012 and, finally in 2012 returning to the Republican Party. It was in June 2015 that Donald Trump as a Republican announced his candidacy for President of the United States in the 2016 elections at the Trump Tower in New York City with a pompous slogan “Make America Great Again”.

The oratory of Trump during the 2016 Presidential Campaign is clear evidence of a populist and authoritarian leader. With inflammatory statements such “Islam hates us” being a clear indication of the sort of populist campaign that he intends to focus on. Such as been the impact of his aggressive campaign that allies of the Democrat Presidency Candidate Hillary Clinton have also admitted that Trump is indeed a force to reckon with. The fact that he has managed to combine fearless oratory with populist agendas has also made him popular with the ever news hungry media. Which in turn has helped him create an image that can be termed as a “Cult Figure”. With Trump leading Republican candidates in the primaries his image certainly seems to have made an impact on the American society irrespective of whether one likes it or not.

“Will he be or not be” the next president of the United States, that is the question:

With the elections for the US presidency only few months away and, Trump proudly proclaiming that “I am the most successful person ever to run for President”. It remains to be seen whether this enigmatic man who likes to blow his own “TRUMP”ET does in fact eventually become the 45th President of the United States or not.

“They (Muslims) are not coming not this country if I’m president and if Obama has brought some to this country they are leaving, they’re going they’re gone” roared Donald Trump, the US Republican Presidential Candidate during a presidential debate in 2015. With the race for the US presidency reaching...